Seegrid, a manufacturer of autonomous mobile robot (AMR) solutions for palletized material handling, says it is actively progressing its VDA5050 support – marking a major step forward in interoperability and system integration for industrial automation.
With foundational capabilities already rolling out in 2025, the company is on track for full VDA5050 compliance in 2026.
VDA5050 is an open interface standard developed by Germany’s VDA (Automotive Industry Association) and VDMA (Mechanical Engineering Industry Association) to promote seamless communication between AMRs and fleet management systems, regardless of manufacturer.
As automation expands across inter-facility operations, this interoperability standard is becoming a vital component to the success of mixed-fleet deployments – accelerating integration timelines, and reducing long-term operational costs.
Tom Panzarella, chief technology officer at Seegrid, says: “Supporting VDA5050 is part of Seegrid’s broader commitment to building flexible, scalable autonomous solutions that evolve with our customers’ needs.
“Interoperability is an essential contributor to successful autonomy, and we’re excited to help lead this important industry shift.”
Seegrid released a robust MQTT API that enables its AMRs to connect with today’s industrial automation and orchestration systems. This foundational release includes three primary components of the latest VDA5050 standard:
- Factsheet – Provides other systems with detailed information about the robot’s physical characteristics of the latest VDA5050 features
- Actions – Supports core remote controls, such as “Pause” and “Resume”
- State – Communicates real-time robot status for enhanced visibility and coordination
Panzarella says: “Our customers are building more advanced and interconnected operations, and VDA5050 gives them the flexibility to do so without being locked into proprietary systems.
“We have established the technical foundation for broader VDA5050 compatibility while delivering immediate integration value.”
The standardization benefits of VDA5050 allow Seegrid’s customers to:
- Connect Seegrid AMRs with other VDA5050-compliant solutions
- Reduce custom integration overhead and complexity
- Unify fleet orchestration across diverse equipment providers
- Future-proof automation infrastructure with an open, scalable architecture
Seegrid is already collaborating with select customers to deploy and validate VDA5050 features in live environments.
David Griffin, chief sales officer, says: “VDA5050 is a smart investment in the future of autonomous material handling.
“We’re proud to support our customers with the tools and standards they need to drive more open ecosystems where Seegrid AMRs can work side by side with other technologies – empowering them with more choice and control.”
As an industry leader, Seegrid reinforces its commitment to deliver autonomy that works – and works well with others.
